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A second Venezuelan migrant boat, travelling from Guiria to Trinidad, was reported missing at the weekend.

It is reported to have overturned near Dragon’s Mouth, the same location as where the first vessel went down last month.

Venezuelans authorities have confirmed that a search was launched after relatives reported their loved ones missing.

Relatives of the passengers alerted the authorities that they boarded a vessel on Thursday afternoon but did not arrive at their destination.

The boat, Ana Maria, was expected to arrive in Trinidad that night.

The authorities are uncertain of the number of passengers on board the vessel.

The Express was told that at least 30 families have reported relatives missing.

The search began on Saturday morning.

A large crowd was gathered at a location in Guiria called “La Beach” seeking assistance in locating their relatives.

The authorities are investigating reports that the vessel was subjected to a band but was being used to traffic people between the two countries.

On Saturday, Robert Richards, operator of Mixed Bag Sportfishing, posted on his Facebook page that a Venezuelan national was rescued at sea off Trinidad after being in the water for 19 hours.

Richards stated that the man, along with 20 Venezuelans, was on a vessel headed to Trinidad when it overturned.

He wrote, “We found this young man 30 miles offshore of Trinidad in some sporty sea conditions fighting for his life , he had been in the water for 19 hours, while we were bringing our new boats back, he was on a boat that sunk the night before with 20 other people on board, so far no other survivors, they were on their way to Trinidad to buy food because their home of Isla De Margarita a Venezuela island has limited food that’s very expensive, it’s a very sad thing going on there GOD bless the lost ones!”

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Last month, a vessel loaded with 38 passengers overturned east of the uninhabited Los Patos Island, near Dragon’s Mouth.

Nine persons were pulled from the water alive. The body of a 16-year-old girl was recovered the following day.

Venezuelan officials said the boat named B/P Johnnaly Jose encountered engine problems ten minutes into the journey and overturned.

A sign posted near the coastal town in Guiria lists the names of 38 people, mostly women, who boarded the ill-fated vessel.

The captain has been taken into police custody in Venezuela, it was learned.

The search was called off ten days after the incident was reported but relatives continue to appeal to the authorities to resume the search.

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